Chen sets terms on air links

Three must be met before air links between Taiwan and South Korea can be resumed, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told former South Korean president Kim Young-sam yesterday.

But Kim, for his part, had little to say on the matter.

Chen his guest that Taipei would accept the restoration of air links if Taiwan's "national dignity" is respected, and if "substantial benefits" and "parity" are guaranteed to both sides.

Chen said Taiwan wished to improve ties with South Korea, which shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in August 1992.

"Regarding bilateral ties, we should look forward, not look back," Chen said, according to a Presidential Office statement.

Chen said the two countries should restore annual meetings between economics ministers from the two sides.

Government have been concerned about a growing trade deficit with South Korea. Trade between the two countries grew to US$13 billion last year, with Taiwan taking in US$5 billion more in imports than it shipped goods to South Korea.

Kim yesterday he hoped his visit could enhance exchanges between the two countries, given that visits between Taipei and Seoul officials have been few since ties were broken nine years ago.

Aviation between Seoul and Taipei have seen little progress over the past few years.

South Korea's former foreign minister, Lee Joung-binn, said in January that "resuming flights to Taiwan by our airlines will be a major diplomatic mission that should be resolved this year.''

But so far efforts to re-establish direct flights have hit turbulence.

During bilateral discussions at an APEC meeting in Seoul in July last year, Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), minister of transportation and communications, met with her counterpart Kim Yoon-ki.

Yeh suggested Seoul send a minister to Taipei under the formula of "vacation diplomacy," and that both ministers could meet "on an accidental basis" to sign a related agreement on the resumption of air links.

But Kim yesterday said the decision on air links was in the hands of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, sources said.

Foreign ministry officials in Taiwan said both sides were in constant contact on the issue, but it's too soon to expect any pact.

China remains an obstacle. Seoul has refused to insert terms such as "territory" into a draft aviation accord that could imply Taiwan is a sovereign state. Instead, South Korean officials prefer to use neutral terms such as "area," sources said.

Kim also visited Speaker of the Legislative Yuan Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).